Who is Bruno Mars?

Biography 

Born: 1985 in Waikiki, HI

Genre: Pop

Years Active: '00s, '10s

After working a string of behind-the-scenes jobs — including writing songs for Brandy, singing backup for the Sugababes, and impersonating Elvis — songwriter/producer Bruno Mars put his name on top of the charts in 2009 by co-writing Flo Rida's hit song "Right Round." One year later, he collaborated with rapper B.o.B on “Nothin’ on You” and co-wrote Travis McCoy's "Billionaire," both of which became Top Ten hits. Mars used that momentum to launch a solo career, quickly becoming the first male vocalist in two decades to crack the Top Ten with his first four singles.

Born Peter Hernandez in Honolulu, Hawaii, Mars kicked off his career at the age of four by fronting his uncle’s band, becoming Oahu's youngest Elvis impersonator in the process. Ten years later, he was impersonating the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, as part of the Legends in Concert show. After graduating high school in 2003, he took his uncle's advice and moved to California to pursue a music career. After months of frustration, he met songwriter Phillip Lawrence, who convinced Mars to try his hand at writing songs for other artists. The two dubbed themselves the Smeezingtons and co-wrote “Long Distance,” which was recorded in 2008 by R&B singer Brandy. More offers arrived after that, and Mars and Lawrence scored their first number one hit in 2009, when they co-authored Flo Rida's international smash "Right Round."

By 2010, Mars seemed to be everywhere: singing alongside B.o.B on the chart-topping “Nothin’ on You,” co-writing Travie McCoy's “Billionaire,” and collaborating with Cee-Lo Green on the Grammy-nominated hit "F*ck You!" He also began issuing his own material, starting with the May 2010 release of his first EP, It's Better If You Don't Understand. Doo-Wops & Hooligans, Mars' full-length debut, appeared later that year and quickly produced a number one single, "Just the Way You Are." ~ David Jeffries & Andrew Leahey, Rovi

And Released new Albums

Doo-Wops & Hooligans

Other about him

Bruno Mars (a.k.a. Peter Hernandez) is a musical renaissance man with his fingers in an amazing number of pies (most of them sweet and ultra-tasty). Mars has an ear for the trends of the moment, but he’s also fluent in old-school methods of songwriting and production. “Just the Way You Are” (the album’s chart-topping advance single), “Talking to the Moon” and “Our First Time” are suave slices of R&B/pop with finely-honed hooks. On “Count on Me” and “The Lazy Song,” Mars eases into a mellow folk groove worthy of Jason Mraz. Stretching out further, he dives into a ’60-style soul rave-up (“Runaway Baby”) and has a fling with classic summertime pop (“Marry You”). There’s a Jamaican vibe present as well, especially in the dub-drenched “Liquor Store Blues.” “The Other Side” — a collaboration with Cee-Lo and B.o.B. — rides an urgent track punctuated with wolf howls. Mars handles the instrumental duties as well as the lead vocals here, bringing a unified feel to this eclectic, high-energy and altogether delightful effort.